Report from today’s London demo for Libya
8:02 pm - February 22nd 2011
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contribution by Wail Qasim
Even before the official start time of 15:00 many protestors were gathered across from Downing Street to tell the government and the international community that enough is enough in Libya: the murder of innocent Libyans by Muammar al-Gaddafi’s regime should not be allowed to continue. The crowd grew and grew and as it did so did the energy and emotion. The chants could be heard echoing throughout Whitehall as hundreds turned into thousands and called for the resignation of Gaddafi and reminded the UK government that they had blood on their hands for selling arms to dictatorships such as Libya.
Dr Sabah Almarii wih a message for David Cameron
One gentlemen who came armed with a message for David Cameron (see above) spoke to me about how he worked in Libya for six years but eventually decided to leave because of the Gaddafi regime. He pointed out that Gaddafi has “always been hated” and that this is not simply a copy cat of other North African revolutions. Dr Sabah Almarii fears that “[Gaddafi] will kill everyone before he goes” but also finds it hard to envisage what will become of Libya once Gaddafi does leave. There is not even a pretence of democracy in Libya and any move to democracy would have to be a careful one.
As has been the case in all of these revolutions it is the young that have taken the lead to call for their civil liberties. It was no different today outside Downing Street as children were the most active and lively, some even leading the crowd in chants. One in fact lead a chant of “David Cameron don’t you care, Libyan blood is everywhere” whilst others held placards reading “save my family”.
A Libyan youth that lead the crowd in chants against Gaddafi and David Cameron.
Young children holding placard asking "Please save my family".
The crowd were not scared to show anyone passing the bloody truth either. Many handed around images of those dying in the confrontations between protesters, the army and mercenaries in Libya. These were not images you would be shown on television by even the most daring news channel and were harrowing enough to leave anyone ashamed that Gaddafi’s genocide against his won people to continues.
Protestors carried images of the wounded in Libya
Wounded Libyan being carried away.
Protesters didn’t mind poking fun at the whacky Gaddafi himself however. Many came armed with caricatures and edited images of him.
Spray painted mask in Libyan colours.
Action film shot of Gadaffi referring to Abu-Saleem prison, June 1996.
Children holding cartoon caracature of Gaddafi.
The entire effort has sent a clear message of solidarity and simultaneously told the the United Kingdom government they can not keep quite over the situation and certainly should not supply weapons to dictators like Gaddafi. Demonstrations are set to continue throughout the week and many have said they will camp outside Downing Street until Gaddafi is gone.
Befre the demonstration even started.
Image held by protestor.
Clear message for Libyan leader Gaddafi.
More protestors arrive.
Banner showing solidarity with Egypt, Tunisia and Libya.
A group get up high to show their message.
A snippet of the crowd.
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Reader comments
The most ‘left-wing’ and ‘anti-imperialist’ Arab dictatorships (Libya, Algeria, Yemen – with Syria no doubt to follow) are the ones that whose streets are now running red with the blood of would-be revolutionaries – while the bourgeois lackeys in Egypt and Tunisia went with only a few shots fired.
But it’s not just revolutionary socialists who put their hopes in Gaddafi.
“The first thing that must be understood about the Megrahi affair is the vastness of the entanglements among Libya, the oil companies, and the Blair government. This is no ordinary set of relationships, and the economic stakes are high. As the Blair era wound down, and as officials began looking toward wealth and security in the afterlife, the opportunities available in Libya loomed very large. They had everything to gain by a show of cooperation. As a result, what one sees in the final years of Tony Blair’s government is the transformation of New Labour into something that might be called New Libya.”
Britain’s role in the oppression of the Arab people…..
http://haringeygreens.blogspot.com/2011/02/oil-arms-blood-and-hypocrisy.html
“Students at the London School of Economics have staged a protest against the university’s association with the regime in Libya. About 12 students stormed the offices of LSE director, Sir Howard Davies Students and 150 held a rally outside. The LSE says it is reconsidering links with Libya ‘as a matter of urgency’.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12550876
I cannot understand why it is that LSE students have suddenly become sensitive about celebrities who have sponsored this august institution at various times. A little research would have shown that its founding fathers – HG Wells, George Bernard Shaw and Sidney Webb – became admirers of Stalin after they visited the Soviet Union in the 1930s – try Alan Bullock: Hitler and Stalin – Parallel Lives.
A little more research will show that the scale of democide inflicted by the Soviet regime was about three times worse than that inflicted by the Nazis:
http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/20TH.HTM
Reactions: Twitter, blogs
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Liberal Conspiracy
Report from today's London demo for Libya http://bit.ly/fYWZuP
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Tim Hardy
Great write up by @wailq Just sorry I couldn't be there. Report from today’s London demo for Libya http://t.co/FH73eLs via @libcon
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Malcolm Evison
RT @libcon: Report from today's London demo for Libya http://bit.ly/fYWZuP
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Wail Qasim
@libyahmed @shabablibya I've written up a report on today's Downing Street demo. Read it here http://bit.ly/fYWZuP
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libyahmed
RT @WaIlQ: @libyahmed @shabablibya I've written up a report on today's Downing Street demo. Read it here http://bit.ly/fYWZuP
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Muammar al-Gaddafi: Leader of Libya | Political Job Approval Ratings & Public Opinion Polls by YOU!
[…] Report from today’s London demo for Libya (liberalconspiracy.org) […]
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Pucci Dellanno
RT @libcon: Report from today's London demo for Libya http://bit.ly/fYWZuP
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Libya: Its Me or Chaos : South Asian Idea
[…] Report from today’s London demo for Libya (liberalconspiracy.org) […]
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UK Solidarity with Libya and the Middle East! « ISM-UK
[…] Thousands joined the protest outside the Libyan Embassy this evening, before marching on Downing Street.. The Socialist Worker reports that 10 coaches travelled from Manchester alone, and that some protestors have declared that they will spend the night outside the Embassy. More joined protests outside Downing Street. […]
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